Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-03-22

ecnoohng and the tendency has been - "a
vAncement 10 other directions. A. tho ~
posed law OF the abolition of all the .cboo1
districts In the States failed of na..aga :,
sue last legislature the Supervisor in his forth
coming report will recommend tina. tho CIV
Eouncii abolish all the rural district, an
pace all the schools therein under the NJ. -
"srmen! OF school committee or supervisor
neither TINS change would be much more
APensive tnan the present system and whetb.
really desired by the residents of the
se la, outside districts is the only question Of
.y IN my mind. While the recon-.
.:" OF the supervisor is entitled to much
weight In such matters vet have much fo;,h
IN the intelligence of our farmers and shomid
hardly think it wise to force upon them a sv..
tenn which, after we'll considered deliberat;on
tney should deem undesirable.
WATER WoRKs.
In the early part of the municipal wear inc,
ciosed, appropriation was made To tho C;tv
Council BY the Augusta Water Co. far ths
Introduction OF system of water works for
furnishing supply of water for domestic.
anu nre purposes. After thorough discus.
.io" OF the whole matter aud its submission
'o.e vi the people IN open town meet
ing contract was made for water. for eiphtv
DurnlapS
d an average annual rental of two thousand
dollars for twenty wears and while marv of
our largest tax payers were opposed To the
undertaking at this time for various reasons
yet think the favorable conditions secured
Ia me contract have made the result quite
generally satisfactory. The work was at
ouce oegun and was vigorously followed up
WILL the colo weather put an end to its fur
tner prosecution and there yet remains con-
siderable to do in the spring to bring the avs
tem up 10 the requirements of the contract.
oince January lst we have had the use of
slxty-three hydrants for fire purooses
When fully completed l feel sure that we
shall have not only one of the best systems
and at lower cost to the CITY than anv in
New England, but that we shall be able to
dispense with the steamers at all fires ex.
cept possibly on the higher levels, and TIM,
make quite large saving for maintaining
steamers and reservoirs as required under the
old system
HIGHwAYs
There is no branch of the city business
which requires more constant care and at.
tention than our streets and sidewalks. and
nothing will commend our administration of
affairs more to the good judgment of all our
constituents than making these avenues of
travel both safe and comfortable at mini.
mum OF cost This is not question that can
be settled by US by simply electng two
Commissioners and allowing them to 90 on
and expend the $1,000 we annually appropriate
for this department. 1t should be our every
day business to look after this matter. have
endeavored the past season to devote consid.
cradle time to this work and feel that our
present system of street supervision is vitality
defective and this City Council should take
this matter in hand and see if some means can
not be devised to get better results for the
money expended.
Under our present ordinances and rules we
pay our Commissioners a yearly salary of
5000; then we allow them sl.5O per day for
every days work performed; also an allow.
ance of Sl5 per month is made for horse to
drive about with, and they put on a team and
driver at the regulation price of 80 80 per day
for team and 81 so for driver while the latter
is perhaps employed bv the Commissioner al
fifteen or twenty dollars and board per month
and under this omnibus method of compensa-
ting them the two c 'mmissiOners receive on
the average from $500 TO $4,000 yearly from
the city Treasury. I would not inslnuate for
a moment that the city does not receive full
equivalent for this large sum. for know dur
ing the past year these officers have labored
well and faithfully, but what would empha-
size is the great opportunity for abuses to
creep into a system like this would recon-.
mend that we give the commissioners a fair
salary which shall be in full for all their ser
vices, they to devote all their time to city
work and no allowances be made them for
teams or other purpose.
The city is the owner of two as good teams
with all the necessary irts, sleds, &C. las can be
Il. 4
at an expense of over twelve hundred dollars
a year to drive and care for them, and for this
large expenditure we ought to get large
amount of work performed; and now that but
little call will be made on them to haul steam
ers see no reason why these teams should
not be employed on our streets every day the
year around when it is suitable for any team
to be out, and if so employed believe but lit
tie extra expense for teams would be neces-
sary on the city streets. Early last summer
we purchased road machine, exchanging In
part payment an old one that was past use.
| have no doubt this fully paid for itself long
before winter set in and the good work per-
formed BY Commissioner Blaisdell with It on
the sidewalks during the present unusually
severe winter is too well known to call for
anv comment from me.
STREET PAVING.
Itwould seem to me that the time has come
when some steps should be taken looking to
a permanent system of paving for Water
street. This is our only business street and
in every other respect is a credit to the city,
but the present grade which at some points is
two feet above the sidewalk as well as its
miry and almost impossible condition at
acme seasons Of the year is disgrace to our
good name which should be tolerated only so
long as is absolutely necessary. The legisla-
ture having reduced the State tax for the
present wear we shall make saving on this
item of a little over $4,000 and if,on making up
the appropriations, it is found that this sum
can be spared from other and more pressing
demands would recommend that we make a
beginniug and do what we can, and feel sure
that our course will so commend itself to our
constituents that our successors from year to
wear will follow up the good work and IN a
few wears we shall have a street of which
none of our citizens need be ashamed.
SEWERS.
During our last years service the call for
sewers have been very numerous and much
has been accomplished in this direction.
nearly thirty. FIVE hundred feet Of permanent
and substantial sewer has been laid in those
parts of the city most needing it and as re-
sult many unhealthy nuisances have been
abated. The policy adopted in 1885 of ask
ing the abutters on these public sewers 10
contribute q part of the expense OF their
building has been continued with much sue